Figures for Medway last month show 5,040 were on the benefits compared to 4,995 in April and in Folkestone and Hythe, in May 2,175 people were signing on compared to 2,130 in April.

In the Tonbridge and Malling area figures remained the same in May as they were in April with just 900 people claiming the benefits.

More people in Kent are signing on at the Job Centre. Stock Picture

The numbers of people aged 16 to 24 claiming the benefits rose across the county by 60, with 6,070 people in that age bracket signing on in May.

However, there was a big rise in the numbers of people aged 25 to 49 who have started making claims across the county.

In April there were 14,440 in the age bracket claiming, but that figure has risen by 320 as in May 14,760 were signing on.

There was also a slight increase in the numbers of people over the age of 50 claiming across the county with 80 more people signing on.

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In April there were 7,535 people aged over 50 claiming, but in May that figure rose to 7,615.

The latest figures come less than six months after the government's rolled out universal credit system in Kent, however, the Department of Work and Pensions, (DWP) is still moving all remaining existing benefit claimants to the universal credit full service and this work only started at the beginning of this year.

Under universal credit a broader span of claimants are required to look for work than under jobseeker's allowance.